PODCAST
Great Churches, Great Leaders
August 30th, 2012
Acts 12:25—13:12
We sometimes think, “Great leaders build great churches.” Looking at the church in Antioch we discover that the opposite is equally true, “Great churches build great leaders.”
Believers, fleeing persecution in Jerusalem, started a new church in Antioch. Assessing the needs of this group Barnabas went to Tarsus to secure the help of Saul (soon to be Paul). They provided sound teaching to the fledgling congregation. As Acts 13 opens we learn that “in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers” (v. 1).
This church was also marked by sensitivity to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Earlier they had demonstrated compassion by providing an offering to help their needy brothers and sisters in Jerusalem (11:29). Now the Spirit asked them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a new phase in their ministry. With fasting and prayer “they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (13:3).
The church still needs great leaders, but those leaders are often called, trained, commissioned, and sent out by great churches. Any church, regardless of size, can be a great church by that measure.
August 30th, 2012 at 2:06 pm
This model of a great church that develops great leaders may be illustrated by College Church of the Nazarene, Nampa, Idaho and College Church of the Nazarene, Olathe, Kansas. These two congregations have produced no fewer than five general superintendents, including Eugene Stowe, Jerald Johnson, Paul Cunnngham, J.K, Warrick and David Graves. College Church Nampa has produced a president for Northwewt Nazarene University and university professors like Bruce Peterson and district superintendents, like Clarence Kinzler! Great churches produce great leaders!
August 31st, 2012 at 7:51 am
Why don’t you have the current reading for Friday on your web site?